Règle 24: HORS-JEU
Off-side means that a player is in a position in which he is
out of the game and is liable to penalty.
In general play the player is in an off-side position
because he is in front of the ball when it has been last
played by another player of his team.
In play a scrummage, ruck, maul or line-out the player is
off-side because he remains or advances in front of the line
or place stated in, or otherwise infringes, the relevant
sections of this Law.
A. Off-Side in General Play
(1) A player is in an off-side position if the ball has
been
* kicked, or
* touched, or
* is being carried
* by one of his team behind him.
(2) There is no penalty for being in an off-side position
unless:-
(a) the player plays the ball or obstructs an opponent,
or
(b) he being within ten metres of an opponent waiting to
play the ball or of the place where the ball pitches does
not retire without delay and without interfering with the
opponent, or
(c) he, on all other occasions, moves towards the opponents
waiting to play the ball or to the place where the ball
pitches, before he is put on-side.
Exceptions:-
(i) When an off-side player cannot avoid being touched by
the ball or by a player carrying it, he is
³accidentally off-side². Play should be allowed to
continue unless the infringing team obtains an advantage, in
which case a scrummage shall be formed at that place.
(ii) A player who receives an unintentional throw-forward is
not off-side.
Penalty:- Penalty kick at the place of infringement, or, at
the option of the non-offending team, a scrummage at the
place where the ball was last played by the offending team.
If the latter place is in In-goal, the penalty kick shall be
taken or the scrummage shall be formed five metres from the
goal in, on a line through the place.
For an infringement of (2)(c) by more than one player, the
place of infringement will be that of the off-side player
closest to the player waiting for the ball or where the ball
pitches.
Notes:- (i) A penalty for off-side should not be given at
once if the non-offending team gains an advantage or if it
appears likely to gain an advantage; but if the expected
advantage is not gained, the penalty should in all cases be
awarded even if it is necessary to bring play back for that
purpose to the place of infringement.
(ii) When a player knocks on and an off-side player of the
same team next plays the ball, a penalty for off-side should
not be awarded unless the off-side deprives the
non-offending team of an advantage.
(iii) A player can be off-side in his In-goal.
(iv) If a player hands the ball to another player of his
team in front of him, the second player is off-side. A
scrummage for ³accidental off-side² should be
awarded unless it is considered the player was wilfully
off-side in which case a penalty kick should be awarded.
(v) The referee should whistle at once if an off-side player
who cannot be placed on-side charges within ten metres of an
opponent waiting to receive the ball. Delay may prove
dangerous to the latter player.
Where there is no opponent waiting to play the ball but one
arrives as the ball pitches, an off-side player who is near
such opponent must not obstruct or interfere with him in any
way whatsoever before he is put on-side.
(vi) If an attacking player kicks the ball which is
misfielded by an opponent and the ball is then played by
another attacking player in an off-side position within ten
metres of the opponent, a penalty kick should be
awarded.
(vii) If an attacking player kicks the ball which is charged
down by an opponent and another attacking player within ten
metres of the opponent then plays the ball, play should be
allowed to continue. The opponent was not ³waiting to
play the ball² and the second attacking player is
therefore on-side under Law 25(2).
(viii) Law 24A(2)(b) and (c) also apply where the ball has
struck a goal-post or cross-bar. Off-side players must not
approach or remain within ten metres of an opponent waiting
to play the ball or the place where the ball pitches.
B. Off-Side at Scrummage
The term ³off-side line² means a line parallel to
the goal lines through the hindmost foot of the
player¹s team in the scrummage.
While a scrummage is forming or is taking place:-
(1) A player is off-side if
(a) he joins it from his opponent¹s side, or
(b) he, not being in the scrummage nor the player of either
team who puts the ball in the scrummage,
* fails to retire behind the off-side line or to his goal
line whichever is the nearer, or
* places either foot in front of the off-side line while the
ball is in the scrummage.
UNDER 19 VARIATION: Add a new Section (C)
(c) No 8 is the only player who is permitted to detach and
pick up the emerged ball if he is the last man in a 3-4-1
scrummage (as in International Law). On his so doing, the
scrummage is ended.
Penalty:- Penalty Kick at the place of infringement.
(2) A player is offside if:
(a) he being the player in a scrum half position whose team
has won the ball, places both feet in front of the ball
while it is still in the scrummage; or
(b) he being the immediate opponent of the player in a scrum
half position whose team has won the ball, places either
foot in front of the ball while it is still in the
scrummage.
(3) A player is offside if he, being the immediate opponent
of the player putting in the ball, moves to the opposite
side of the scrummage or moves away from the scrummage and
is in front of the scrummage off-side line.
Penalty:- Penalty kick on the off-side line..
Notes:- (ix) Players must retire without delay to the
scrummage off-side line when a scrummage is forming.
Loiterers must be penalised.
(x) Any player of either team may at a particular scrummage
be the player who puts in the ball or who takes up position
as scrum-half when his opponent is putting in the ball; but
such player is at that scrummage the only player of his team
who has the benefit of Law 24B(2).
C. Off-side at Ruck or Maul
The term ³off-side line² means a line parallel to
the goal-lines through the hindmost foot of the
player¹s team in the ruck or maul.
(1) Ruck or Maul otherwise than at line-out
While a ruck or maul is taking place (including a ruck or
maul which continues after a line-out has ended) a player is
off-side if he:-
(a) joins it from his opponents¹ side, or
(b) joins it in front of the hindmost player of his team in
the ruck or maul, or
(c) does not join the ruck or maul but fails to retire
behind the off-side line without delay or
(d) unbinds from the ruck or leaves the maul and does not
immediately retire behind the off-side line, or once he is
on side, if he rejoins the ruck or maul in front of the
hindmost player of his team in the ruck or maul, or
(e) advances beyond the off-side line with either foot and
does not join the ruck or maul.
Penalty:- Penalty kick on the off-side line.
(2) Ruck or Maul at Line-out
The term ³participating in the line-out² has the
same meaning as in Section D of this Law. A player
participating in the line-out is not obliged to join or
remain in the ruck or maul and if he is not in the ruck or
maul he continues to participate in the line-out until it
has ended.
While a line-out is in progress and a ruck or maul takes
place, a player is off-side if he:-
(a) joins the ruck or maul from his opponent¹s side,
or
(b) joins it in front of the hindmost player of his team in
the ruck or maul, or
(c) being a player who is participating in the line-out and
is not in the ruck or maul, does not retire to and remain at
the off-side line defined in this Section, or
Penalty:- Penalty kick fifteen metres from the touch-line
along the line-of-touch.
(d) being a player who is not participating in the line-out,
remains or advances with either foot in front of the
off-side line defined in Section D of this Law.
Penalty:- Penalty kick on the offending team¹s off-side
line opposite the place of infringement, but not less than
fifteen metres from the touch-line.
Note:- (xi) When the line-out has ended but the ruck or maul
is still taking place, a player is off-side if he infringes
Section (1) of these Laws.
D. Off-side at Line-out
The term ³participating in the line-out² refers
exclusively to the following players:-
* those players who are in the line-out, and
* the player who throws in the ball, and
* his immediate opponent who may have the option of throwing
in the ball, and
* one other player of either team who takes up position to
receive the ball if it is passed or knocked back from the
line-out.
All other players are not participating in the line-out.
The term ³off-side line² means a line ten metres
behind the line-of-touch and parallel to the goal lines or,
if the goal line be nearer than ten metres to the
line-of-touch, the ³off-side lie² is the goal
line.
Off-side while participating in line-out
(1) A participating player is off-side if:-
(a) before the ball has touched a player or the ground he
wilfully remains or advances with either foot in front of
the line-of-touch, unless he advances while jumping for the
ball, provided that the jump is made from his side of the
line-of-touch, or
(b) after the ball has touched a player or the ground, if he
is not carrying the ball, he advances with either foot in
front of the ball, unless he is lawfully tackling or
attempting to tackle an opponent who is participating in the
line-out. Such tackle or attempt to tackle must, however,
start from his side of the ball, or
(c) before the line-out ends he moves beyond a position
fifteen metres from the touch-line.
Exception:- Players of the team throwing in the ball may
move beyond a position fifteen metres from the touch-line
for a long throw-in to them. They may do so only when the
ball leaves the hands of the player throwing it in and if
they do so their opponents participating in the line-out may
follow them. If players so move and the ball is not thrown
to or beyond them they must be penalised for off-side.
Penalty:- Penalty kick fifteen metres from the touch-line
along the line-of-touch.
Notes:- (xii) Players who advance beyond the off-side line
or who move beyond a position fifteen metres from the touch-
line in the expectation of a long throw-in must be penalised
if, for any reason, the ball is not thrown beyond that
position.
(xiii) A player who has jumped unsuccessfully for the ball and crossed the line-of-touch should not be penalised if he retires immediately to an on-side position.
(xiv) The referee should be strict in dealing with those
players who, while not disputing possession of the ball in
the line-out, advance to an off-side position whether
intentionally or not.
(2) The player throwing in the ball and his
immediate opponent must:-
(a) remain within five metres of the touch-line, or
(b) retire to the off-side line, or
(c) join the line-out after the ball has been thrown in five
metres, or
(d) move into position to receive the ball if it is passed
or knocked back from the line-out provided no other player
is occupying that position at that line-out. If they do not
they are off-side.
Penalty:- Penalty kick fifteen metres from the touch-line
along the line of touch.
Note:- (xv) If a player other than the wing-three-quarter
throws in the ball from touch, the wing-three-quarter must
retire to the off-side line, or join the line-out.
Off-side while not participating in line-out
(3) A player who is not participating is off-side if before
the line-out has ended he advances or remains with either
foot in front of the off-side line.
Exception:- Players of the team throwing in the ball who are
not participating in the line-out may advance for a long
throw-in to them beyond the line-out. They may do so only
when the ball leaves the hands of the player throwing in the
ball and, if they do, their opponents may advance to meet
them. If players so advance for a long throw-in to them and
the ball is not thrown to them they must be penalised for
off-side.
Note:- (xvi) If a player not participating in the line-out
is off-side, the referee should not whistle immediately if
the opposing team is likely to gain an advantage. He should
apply the advantage law in all such cases.
Players returning to ³on-side² position
(4) A player is not obliged, before throwing in the ball, to
wait until players of his team have returned to or behind
the line-out but such players are off-side unless they
return to an on-side position without delay.
Penalty:- Penalty kick on the offending team¹s off-side
line (as defined in Section D of this Law) opposite the
place of infringement but not less than fifteen metres from
the touch-line.
Note:- (xvii) Scrummage, Ruck, Maul and Line-out - where
these Laws state a line which determines the off-side
position such line stretches continuously from touch-line to
touch-line.
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